Passing the Torch
by lazsmith
Summary: He thought he had died but well he wasn't. Now what was he meant to do? I DO NOT OWN DEATH NOTE OR ANY OF IT'S CHARACTERS.


He opened his eyes. Where was he? The last thing that he remembered was looking up at Light Yagami's face and thinking that he had been right all along. That Light had indeed been Kira and that he had been the one responsible for killing him. He looked up at the ceiling of the room he was in. It looked familiar. His brain was struggling to come up with answers for him but then he thought some more and then it hit him. It was his old room back and Wammy's House. How could he not recognize the place he had called home for five years? He tried to sit up but a tug of something delicate made him wince in pain. He peeked under the sheet. A catheter? How long had he been lying here? He gentle shifted himself into a sitting position and then a machine bleeped. Before he could even work out what it was the door opened and in ran Roger and a woman in white.

"L!" Roger exclaimed stopping in his tracks. "You're awake!"

"Of course I am," L said. "How did I get here?"

Roger looked at him. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Why?"

"You look pale,"

L smiled. "I'm always pale Roger. Now please answer my question,"

Roger looked at the nurse. "Would you please excuse us for a minute?"

The nurse nodded and left. L waited while Roger grabbed a chair and sat next to the bed. "What do you remember?"

"Being in Japan working on the Kira case,"

"Watari is dead,"

L felt his body freeze. "Kira killed him," It wasn't a question. "I thought he killed me too,"

"That's what we all thought at first but one of the men you worked with found out you weren't and decided to keep it a secret from the others in case Kira found out. He got you moved here hoping you would be safe away from Japan,"

L's eyes narrowed. "Who?"

"Someone called Matsuda I think,"

Now L was surprised. He never thought Matsuda of all people would be the one to be able to keep him out of harm's way. Especially not after what happened with the Yotsuba group.

"How long have I been here Roger?"

Roger looked down at his feet. "Well L you have to know that when Watari died you must have been quite shocked and that's why you passed out. But then there were some complications and you got ill so the doctor's thought that the best thing for you was to put you in a medical induced coma then one thing after another happened…,"

"Roger!" L interrupted. "How long?"

"You've been out for nearly five years,"

Five years. He had been sleeping for five years? L stood at the window looking down at the children below playing. The nurse had unhooked him from the medical machines and what not. Now he had been wondering around his room trying to work out what had happened. Roger had told him what had happened to Mello and Matt. He felt like someone had stabbed him through the heart when he was informed. How could they be dead they were only young. When he asked about Near Roger had made a noise like a grunt and walked off. L took that to mean Near was still alive and that he had taken up the duties of L. Did that mean L was now retired? No that's silly. L would never retire. Did Near even know L was still alive? Roger has asked L to remain in the room while the children were playing. Why? L had looked at himself in the mirror his panda eyes were less pronounced which probably had something to do with his five year sleep and someone he was going to assume the nurse had given him a shorter haircut then he was used to. It still looked like his old one a bit but much shorter. He walked to the door and opened it. He could hear children walking past so he closed it again but he heard their conversations as they walked by.

"Did you know L is coming for a visit soon?" One said.

"Only because he needs somewhere to store his mountain of toys," The other said. "Near is getting bloody obsessed with those robots now,"

"Shhh we aren't supposed to say who L is,"

"Oh it's not like Near is his real name,"

L didn't hear the rest of what they said. Instead he walked over to the desk and picked up a phone and dialled.

"Roger, it's L. When Near arrives I want to talk to him,"

"What about?" Roger asked.

L made a face. Did he really need to ask? "Just send him to me please,"

"L Near doesn't know you're still alive,"

"Well then he is going to get a shock isn't he?"

Near arrived a few days later. He walked straight to his room and started stacking his newly acquired toys. Roger walked in.

"Yes?" Near asked. He had been hoping for some quiet for a while.

"Sorry Near but can you come with me?"

Near sighed. "Whatever it is can't it wait? I've had a long flight,"

"No Near this cannot wait,"

Near blinked at the sound of that voice. He turned and there next to Roger stood his predecessor.

"Roger can you go see to the children," L said.

Roger nodded.

L looked at Near who looked back at him. Then without warning Near stood up and threw his arms around L. L was taken by surprise.

"N..Near?" He stammered. "You're hugging me,"

Near pulled back. "You looked like you needed one," He said in his usual monotone.

L smiled. "I looked like I needed a hug?" He shook his head and smiled. "You obviously knew I was alive,"

"Of course. I knew Roger was hiding something but he wouldn't tell me or Mello so I looked around and found you. I think Roger wanted us to focus on catching Kira which is why he didn't tell us,"

"I assume you caught Kira,"

"Yes he died shortly after I revealed him though. Heart attack," Near looked up at L. "You were aware it was Light Yagami right?"

"Yes," L said. "I just didn't have the proof,"

"Well he was caught and now he is dead,"

"The notebook?"

"I have them both,"

"Why didn't you destroy them?"

"I was waiting for you to wake up,"

"Huh?"

Near reached for his bag and pulled out the notebook. He handed it to L who took it and looked around.

"There's no shinigami here," Near said. "He went back to the shinigami realm after Kira died,"

L nodded and looked at the Death Note.

"Back page," Near said.

L opened the note and flipped to the back. Inside was a letter. L pulled it out then looked at the notebook. Inside in familiar handwriting was his name. Misspelled three times. It was his name that was certain. He opened the letter and read it.

_My dear son,_

_I am very sad to say that if this letter is now in your hands then I am sorry I am no longer around to serve you in your duty to do justice anymore but when you arrived to see me earlier today I was so concerned that I did something you asked me not to. I wrote in the notebook. Having read the rules of the death note extensively I knew that the one way to save you was to misspell your name in the note book and that would keep you alive. I know you are probably angry with me for doing such a thing against your wishes but ever since you came into my care I have loved you like a son and like any loving father I did what I could to protect my child. I hope this does not lessen your love for me L. I am proud of you and what you have done for the world. Do not worry about me L for I knew the risks involved in this case and I accepted them happily. Please do not waste too much time grieving for me and do what you were meant to do._

_Your affectionate servant_

_Watari._

L folded the letter and placed it in his pocket. So Watari died and he lived. Did Watari know that L would go into shock like that? Probably. The man always seemed to know everything. L knew that he had to keep trying to bring justice to the world but…

"Can there be two L's?" Near asked.

L smiled. "Well really I don't see why not," L said. "But then there might be some confusion with the world leaders and such,"

Near nodded. "Then the obvious solution would be for me to step aside since I only took over because you were meant to be dead and you are far better at being L then I am,"

"Really?"

"Yes if Mello hadn't kidnapped Tanaka I would not have known that the note book that X Kira was using was a fake and I might be dead now,"

X Kira? How many Kira's did Near have to deal with? He might have to sit down and ask him one day but for now he had an idea for their current predicament.

"L there is a large drug organisation planning to ship a load of cocaine into the US. Are you interested in the case?"

Near nodded at Rester. "Of course we must do all we can to prevent the trafficking of drugs into any country,"

"Shall I make arrangements to go to the US then?"

Near smiled. "No I shall get Watari to do it," Near reached for the switch next to him. "Watari can you please make arrangements for us to travel to America right away,"

Inside his little office L Lawliet was sitting at the desk and he pressed the button next to him.

"Of course L I understand," He said then he set to work.

This had seemed like the most obvious answer for them both. Near was an excellent L and it made sense for him to take over as Watari rather than Roger who when he heard the news practically jumped for joy. Lawliet had went to Japan again and visited Light's grave and had said a goodbye to his former rival. Regardless of what Light had done Lawliet knew that before the notebook had taken over Light had been a very dear friend for a time. He was going to miss talking to him and he was going to miss being L but being Watari did not prevent him from 'helping' Near every now and then. He had even managed to get the boy slightly interested to cake.

He had debated on if he should go and see the former members of the Kira taskforce but he decided against it and instead made arrangements for each other them to receive a generous retirement package when they finally stopped being policemen. Now here he was still being L in a way but also being Watari and helping Near. Kira had lost, he had won.

He was still righteous. He was still justice.


End file.
